[PS.Blog] 20 years of PlayStation Store – devs share the great games that surprised t

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For 20 years, PlayStation Store has connected players with games of all shapes and sizes, from blockbuster adventures to indie delights and everything in between.

To mark the occasion, we asked developers from PlayStation Studios and third-party studios to reflect on a great game from the past 20 years that caught them by surprise. Not necessarily their favorite game of all time, but one they didn’t expect to enjoy as much as they did, or that won them over in an unexpected way.

You can also check out the 20 Years of PlayStation Store Showcase when it goes live today (11:00am local time), where you can explore deals on games and a curated selection of hand-picked hits.

Now, here’s what the developers shared regarding games from the past 20 years that surprised them:

Balatro | PS4 & PS5, 2024

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“The game that comes to mind is Balatro. While it’s based on the simple, familiar rules of poker, I became completely hooked on the sense of satisfaction that comes from seeing your scores grow bigger and bigger through progression and different combinations.

It’s a truly compelling game that reminds me why games are so much fun to play in the first place.”

– Naoki Hamaguchi, Final Fantasy VII Remake Series Director, Square Enix

Dragon Quest XI: Echos of an Elusive Age | PS4, 2018

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“Dragon Quest XI: Echos of an Elusive Age took me by surprise the first time I played it. Everything from the story to the character design and world has a charm to it that is hard to not love. Whenever the path ahead seemed clear, the game shattered the illusion with an unexpected twist. It is a wonderful hero’s journey with a very unique personality.”

– Jonathan Burke, Sr. Director of Technology, Santa Monica Studio

God of War | PS4, 2018

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“A game I didn’t expect to love as much as I did was God of War (2018). It’s still mind-boggling to me that Santa Monica Studio was able to pull that off on the PlayStation 4. 

However, it was the story that truly won me over. In the previous games, God of War 1, 2, and 3, Kratos was, in my humble opinion, largely defined by anger and rage, with very little emotional depth. But God of War (2018) changed that in a profound way. The themes of fatherhood, self-control, breaking toxic cycles, grief, and identity were not on my bingo card. However it delivered on all those emotional fronts exceptionally well.  

Very few games have managed to balance incredible gameplay with a deeply compelling story the way God of War (2018) did.”

– Ramone Russell, Director, Product Development Communications & Brand Strategy, San Diego Studio 

Inscryption | PS4 & PS5, 2022

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“I was not ready for Inscryption. I thought it was just a creepy card-based tabletop game, and I gave it a try because I usually love these kinds of games. I found the complexity in how the cards and their modifiers interact fascinating and compelling. As someone who works on games with deep and complex stories, I appreciated how much the game trusts us as players to unpack the mysterious narrative (and game design!) on our own. Inscryption does something incredible: it starts as a seemingly simple, straightforward game that rewards persistence by revealing new layers of gameplay AND story at every step. It’s also very special to me as our dearly departed cat lives on as the ‘lil toot boi’ Build-a-Card. RIP, lil buddy.”

– Arne Meyer, Head of Culture and Communications, Naughty Dog

Inside | PS4, 2016

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“Playdead’s Inside somehow came out over ten years ago. It has no UI and no dialogue and rolls out a completely unique experience with no obvious instructions at all, meticulously crafted to teach by way of ‘invisible hand’ that feels effortless. The visuals and audio perfectly reflect the ambiguous story that keeps you thinking about it for weeks (or a decade) after completion. It is a masterpiece.” 

– Marcus Smith, Creative Director, Insomniac Games

Sayonara Wild Hearts | PS4, 2019

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“The game that completely took me by surprise was Sayonara Wild Hearts! I am not one to gravitate to games with musical and rhythm elements as part of its primary gameplay loop. However as soon as I saw this game in motion it truly captivated me and drew me in with its colorful and unique style. As I jumped in, the story started drawing me more and more into its world as well as the amazing and dynamic setting. Soon enough I realized I was fully invested in a musical and rhythmic game, and I just could not just put it down until I completed the story. The great soundtrack just sealed the deal for me.  I would recommend this game to anyone that may not usually play this style of game for sure; it was a truly memorable experience for me.”

– Bruno Velazquez, Game Director, Santa Monica Studio

Shadow of the Colossus | PS2, 2005

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“I picked “Shadow of the Colossus”, originally launched in 2005 for PlayStation 2. With your horse and sword only, you gallop the plains in search of giant creatures to strike down to save your loved one, plunged into a deep slumber. The game is essentially David versus Goliath. Austere at first, the adventure celebrates heroic loneliness to perfection with epic battles, great technological prowess and a soundtrack that made history. A masterpiece.”

– Nicolas Doucet, the studio director, Team Asobi

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | PS3, 2009

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“Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009) surprised me the most when I played it on PlayStation 3 because after being so hyped by the stage demo the game delivered something even more epic and impressive. Set piece after set piece was incredible, the production value, the charisma of the cast and how it felt like playing a blockbuster movie. It was everything I hoped the game would be as an excited PlayStation fan being so excited to play it.”

– Gregory Louden, Creative Director, Housemarque

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What game from the past 20 years surprised you the most? Share your pick in the comments below, and let us know what made it memorable.